Sudan threatens to close border with South Sudan over rebels

Sudan is threatening to close its border with South Sudan within days if the government in Juba failed to expel rebel groups from its territory.

Sudan is threatening to close its border with South Sudan within days if the government in Juba failed to expel rebel groups from its territory.

The Khartoum government regularly accuses its southern neighbour of supporting armed movements in the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions.

Kamal Ismail, state minister of foreign affairs, told state-owned media that South Sudan had promised to expel insurgencies within 21 days during a visit by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai last month.

Khartoum would close the common border and stop humanitarian assistance if South Sudan did not meet this promise, according to the Sudanese minister.

Previously, Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman of the SPLA forces in Juba, told Radio Tamazuj that they did not receive any official letter from the government to expel the Sudanese armed movements from South Sudan.